Foodbuzz 24×24: Bake sale for Pakistan

For this month’s Foodbuzz 24×24, I am thrilled to be participating in an event showcasing cooking with kids. Foodbuzz partnered with Frigidaire to produce an extra-fun 24×24 event. Frigidaire’s Make Time For Change program supports Save the Children’s efforts to ensure that kids will have access to healthy foods this holiday season and all year long. To recognize Frigidaire’s charitable partnership with Save the Children, this month’s 24×24 was to feature kids’ meals or parties.

As regular readers of this blog know, I run a cooking club for 9-11 year old boys called Les Petits Chefs. I was excited to submit a proposal for the boys to contribute to a bake sale we held at school last week to raise money for the Pakistan flood relief. Our Grade 4 teacher hails from Pakistan and has been working to raise awareness about the devastation to her homeland caused by the recent floods. The bake sale was her idea and I really wanted to be able to have my cooking club contribute some baked goods as well as chat with them about how lucky they are compared to many many children across the world. We each made little sacrifice for those children suffering in Pakistan – the boys gave up an hour of their time as well as the privilege of eating what they cook immediately (which is what normally happens) and I donated the $250 stipend provided by Foodbuzz to the International Development and Relief Foundation.

I chose three recipes to make within the hour we have allotted to club time each week (ambitious I know but the boys are such pros in the kitchen now, I thought they could handle it!): Honey Joys and Chocolate Crackles (treats from my childhood) and Super Charge Me cookies as a somewhat healthier treat.

We attacked the Honey Joys and cookies first, since they needed baking in the oven. We had the most excellent Rosewood Estates honey to use…

The Super Charge Me cookies recipe can be found over on Dreena Burton’s Eat, Drink and be Vegan website and includes a whole lotta healthy stuff like oats, spelt flour, flax meal and just the tiniest hint of sweet with maple syrup and chocolate chips.

Lastly, we made the staple of every Australian kid’s childhood… Chocolate Crackles

In a large bowl, mix the Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles®, icing sugar, cocoa & coconut. Slowly melt the copha® in a saucepan over a low heat. Allow to cool slightly. Add to Rice Bubbles mixture, stirring until well combined. Spoon mixture into paper patty cases and refrigerate until firm.

The day of the bake sale dawned bright and clear. I arrived at school around 7.40 to be greeted by one of my students claiming he had already had “like 14 treats” (he hadn’t!) but it really set the tone for the day.

There was an excellent buzz from early in the morning to well after lunch (yes, people donated a lot of baked goods!) and the boys were super excited for their first bake sale of the year. What was really heartwarming was how the whole school rallied around this very worthy cause; from Grade 3 through Grade 12, parents, teachers and admin staff – it was a true coming together as a community for the good of those in need.

A fabulous day with over $800 raised from the sales! I was happy to be a part of it, with my small contribution, but more importantly, I was pleased that my club boys took an hour out of their time to think about others less fortunate and do something about it. So proud of my Petits Chefs :-) Thank you Foodbuzz for giving me the opportunity to help children both near and far.

If you would like to contribute to the Pakistan Floor Relief through IDRF, you can donate here.

Did you know? I am participating in Project Food Blog – an interactive series of culinary blogging challenges. You can see my latest post entry here and should you feel so inclined, you can help vote me through to the next round. You have to be a Foodbuzz member to vote but it’s a simple sign-up process. Once you’re signed up, click the red heart to vote. Thanks in advance.

This is all types of awesome, Mardi! You’re introducing a whole new pile of kids to the joys of our childhood, and raising money for a great cause while you do it. Looks like a pretty epic bake sale, much better than the one on Top Chef Just Desserts the other night

Ahhh, honey joys and chocolate crackles! But especially chocolate crackles as no bake sale fundraiser was ever complete without them, nor with me not buying at least one =p A friend has since taught me that to make chocolate crackles even better, use Cocoa Pops and decorate with coloured sprinkles!

Lovely post/gesture, Mardi.
In particular I liked that you engaged the boys in a practical way in something as real as the Pakistan catastrophe; but also that (unlike so much food commentary these days) nobody gets hung up about so-called healthy/unhealthy foods. Chocolate crackles – the tasty staple of a childhood…. well done.

Thanks Dad, it’s not always easy to open little people’s eyes to something so huge as the disaster in Pakistan. And when it comes to bake sales, all bets are off (as are all diets) re: the ingredients. Who wants a low fat bake sale?

mardi, you and your boys never cease to amaze me. all in good ways. love, love, love that you are teaching that we often care for others through what we create in our kitchens and that the hand of friendship and compassion can reach far beyond our own neighborhood. truly inspiring!